


As I Get to Know You Better

by judeau



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:15:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25870444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/judeau/pseuds/judeau
Summary: Edo cries to himself in the middle of the night more often than not.-Takes place after they establish themselves at the "Cyber Dragon Dojo"Title based on the song "As I Get To Know You Better" by Fake Laugh
Relationships: Marufuji Ryou | Zane Truesdale/Edo Phoenix | Aster Phoenix
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	As I Get to Know You Better

It was the second night Ryo had woken up to the sound of Edo crying to himself. He could feel him trembling as he sobbed quietly in the bed they shared, his raspy whimpers pulsing through his small body. Ryo had his back turned, his eyes wide as he tried his best to keep still.

Edo continued to cry, his breaths becoming erratic and messy. Ryo could hear him talking to himself, but the blood pumping in his ears as his heart quickened was making it hard for him to distinguish what Edo was saying. Ryo wasn't someone who generally reached out to those in vulnerable situations, so to be confronted by someone in pain made him uncomfortable. His head felt like it was being crushed, his chest tightening with each sob Edo let out noisily, something he was failing to cover up by burying his head into his pillow.

Months of being stranded in an alternate dimension had put a heavy toll on them both. Everything that was so unfamiliar and unreal made Ryo feel like he was in a virtual game. Every move he'd made since Judai had taken the role as Supreme King had to be perfect, calculated. Edo was a great partner to have by his side during it all: he was narcissistic, but he had a good head on his shoulders for his age. He was quick witted and mature, something Ryo couldn't say about his friends at Duelist Academy.

People like Judai and Fubuki had that way about them that made them seem invincible to the pain. Edo was different in that sense. He had resolve and the dedication to win, something Ryo admired. His calculating nature was why he was one of the best duelists in the world. 

But the person beside him felt foreign from the Edo he knew. It was a cold, stark look into what someone with such spirit held so deep within themselves. It was something Ryo was losing the ability to bear for much longer in the cold, cramped space they were sharing.

Ryo moved his arms slightly, pushing himself on his back. He heard Edo freeze at his movement, his cries stopping. It seemed that Edo had assumed Ryo was asleep, but within moments he continued to sniffle, lifting his head from the pillow and turning his gaze towards Ryo.

From there it felt like instinct, like two pieces coming together. Ryo rolled over to face Edo, pushing some of his blue hair from his eyes. His hand slowly went up Edo's arm, resting at his shoulder. Edo pushed himself closer to Ryo, his fingers tentatively weaving themselves into the fabric of Ryo's undershirt, his small hands gripping tightly. 

Edo began to wail, his already crumbling walls crashing around him. He buried his nose into Ryo's chest, his hot tears dampening the taller boy's black shirt. Ryo kept his grip on Edo firm, his hand coming down to his upper arm. Edo's cries were hard to listen to, only being broken when he would gasp for air before starting all over again.

Their space was claustrophobic, but Ryo continued to move himself closer to Edo in an attempt to comfort him. He began moving his hand through Edo's hair, gently weaving his fingers through. Ryo felt weak as Edo continued to pull on his shirt, his stomach turning. He felt pitiful, not for Edo's overwhelming emotions but for the feeling that he wasn't going to be enough to help him pull himself together. _To be stuck here crying, with me as the only person to comfort you—to hold you down. Despicable,_ he thought to himself. Ryo was lost in his own mind, but after a moment his self deprecating thoughts were interrupted as he looked down to see Edo staring back at him, silent.

They laid there then, saying nothing to each other. Ryo worked to make out Edo's features in the dark; his eyes were clearly swollen and bloodshot, his mouth still agape as he hastily tried to breathe through his clogged nose. They stayed like that for what felt like ages. Ryo's mind was swarming with ideas of what to say.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" he asked, his voice hoarse in his throat. Edo shook his head wordlessly, burying his face into Ryo's chest once more. Ryo sighed, pulling Edo closer to him by his back, running his hand over the nape of his neck. He tried to think of if anybody had ever done that for him before, to pull from experience. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ryo offered, unsure of what answer he would have preferred. Edo looked up again, sniffling hard.

"Not now." he said, slowly pulling himself up to be at eye level, a task because of how much taller Ryo was. Ryo felt his chest ache. It was understandable that Edo wouldn't want to confide in him. Any information he could give Ryo was dangerous. Despite their present situation, if they were to get out of this dimension, any vulnerabilities of the great Edo Phoenix could be used to destroy him in the future. 

What Ryo couldn't comprehend was why someone like Edo would be crying in the first place. He had felt the weight of being in this other world too, but their confidence and skill as duelists had kept them relatively safe and at a high. But Ryo supposed everyone had their demons; he'd crawled his way out of hell and back, and even then some days made him feel like he was back there in those underground duels again, chained down and beaten through. What did this guy have to be so upset about? 

Edo propped himself up on one arm, wiping his nose on the back of his sleeve. He stayed like that for a while, quietly letting his sinuses clear. His hair was a mess, his bangs smushed to the side. Ryo couldn't help but stare at him. He knew it was rude and possibly a little threatening, but he felt frozen looking at Edo in this state.

Eventually, Ryo sat up and smoothed some of Edo's hair that had stuck to his cheeks into place. "You sure you don't want anything? Water?" he asked, his brows furrowed together. He was new to this type of thing and Edo's stubbornness wasn't making it easy for him. He was really trying. 

"No...I just don't want you to leave me alone," he said, his voice clearly congested. He sounded childish, like a kid afraid of the dark. Ryo sighed and leaned back into bed, his head sinking heavily into the pillow. "Fine," he said, putting his hands over his eyes. "You know you don't have to be alone in this. I'm here whether you like it or not."

Edo quickly shifted his body to hover over Ryo, staring harshly at him. He placed his hands on either side of Ryo as his hair fell forward. "Don't say shit like that. I need you here as much as you need me."

Ryo scoffed and removed his hands to gaze at Edo, his tired eyes opening slowly. For someone who had just been bawling their eyes out, Edo had a lot of nerve saying that _he_ needed _him_. 

But he was right. He and Edo spent almost every second of their days together. This stuck- up asshole was starting to become the only thing that grounded him, something he desperately needed in this ugly world. Their victories against the enemies that constantly swarmed them made him feel normal, the perpetual monster-slaying giving him a sense of security that reminded him of his school days. They were unstoppable when they were with each other.

Ryo put his hand on Edo's face, rubbing his thumb over his warm cheek. He didn't understand why he was getting so close, letting his body move without thinking. Edo was a magnetic force, something that pulled Ryo towards him effortlessly. Maybe it was a mixture of his looks and the confidence he exuded, or maybe Ryo really just needed someone to fill the parts of himself that were missing right now. It was all beginning to blur as he stared into Edo's eyes. 

It didn't take Ryo much thought for what he did next. He placed his hand on the back of Edo's head and pulled him into a kiss, pressing their lips gently together. He let his hand hover, giving Edo space to break away. He didn't want to force him to do this, but it was obvious as Edo placed both his hands firmly on Ryo's face that he wasn't going to let go. 

Edo's movements were desperate, the kiss messy as he gripped his fingers through Ryo's hair. He breathed heavily as he pulled away, placing his forehead on Ryo's before moving in for another. It was then that one kiss turned to many, their movements becoming more erratic. Ryo felt like the world around them wasn't real, as if he was back home where everything made sense. The warmth of Edo's lips and the sensation of his hands moving over him sent shockwaves through his body.

Ryo then realized what they were doing and the weight of where they were shattered the comfort he felt in Edo's touch. He pulled the boy in for one last kiss and pushed him back tentatively. Edo looked at him with a frustrated gaze, pouting slightly. 

Ryo ran his hands over Edo’s messy hair one last time before pushing him back down gently to his own side of the bed. "You need to rest." 

Edo rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically, turning on his side to avoid eye contact. "I don't get you."

That made Ryo smile. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that one.

"We have a lot to do tomorrow. We can discuss it another time."

Ryo laid back down, facing Edo's back. He wanted to discuss this all now, but he wasn't sure how to talk about it all without coming off as even more crazy than Edo already thought he was. Edo made him feel comforted, but it also confused him. And right now, this wasn't the time to be sorting it out. 

He wrapped his arm around Edo's waist once he heard his breaths slip into a monotonous, sleepy pattern and let the warmth between them lull him to sleep.  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> WELL... I've been binging gx and been talking about proshipping with friends... bounced this idea w my roomie and was possessed to write it LOL


End file.
